Last November I was working with a client who explained the Vermont running ‘Triple Crown’. Three agricultural themed races - Sap, Milk, and Cheese runs- that if completed, the triple crown is earned.

There is also a commemerative tote bag involved…

So I signed up for all three races with the first race being 8.5 miles on April 27th.

At the time of registration I was running 0 weekly miles.

Now, I am no stranger to aerobic work. The Purposeful Strength studio is complete with an echo bike, concept 2 rower, and ski erg. However when it comes to running….0 weekly miles is still a big ‘ol zero.

Garmin Connect tracking my running volume. February was riddled with the flu. There wasn’t much going on. Woof.

In this new series ‘Mediocre Miles’ I want to outline some of the running strategies I have been using…as a very average runner, who is a father of two, and does most of his running workouts on a treadmill at 5am. Nothing special here but I am learning a TON about the hobby/sport/recreational activity, and am loving the progress and development.

So here goes the first installment- taking your miles from ZERO.

There is no shame in walking. My first 6 weeks of running workouts were entirely done in run/walk format. I would run anywhere from 30 seconds to 4 minutes at a time and walk until my heart rate recovered to about 115-120 beats per minute. Though it may seem like a slow process….run/walk workouts help you figure out how to PACE your runs according to your exertion levels and/or heart rate.
Zone 2 workouts will be the bulk of your runs. Zone 2 refers to your heart rate zone just above ‘resting’. For me that is about 120-135 beats per minute. When I started, I was running at 12 minute mile pace and then walking at 16 minute mile pace to achieve this heart rate. Now, after about 14 weeks, I can comfortable hold 10 minute miles in a zone 2 range for upward to an hour. Working at this intensity allows you to achieve more ‘time on your feet' and give your body manageable stressors to adapt and recover from. This is what my runner friends call ‘motor work’ and it shows the longer you do it.
Don’t over run what your body can recover from. When I started out I was super excited to get going and was running four days per week. My calves were destroyed and my feet hurt all the time. It really wasn’t very fun. After the first 6-weeks when my runs were consistently3-6 miles I dropped my running days down to three times per week. This has been my sweet spot. I can recover, hit long runs, and do plenty of easy runs and the occasional interval run workout. By doing ‘less’ I am able to accomplish ‘more’. It can be hard to combat excitement- after all, excitement for a positive activity is typically what we want, right? But make sure you really do listen to your body. It’s easy to over-run your program and your body will let you know.

As my running season goes on I plan to keep this series going. I’m by no means an expert, but I do plan on documenting my progress as I work towards my goal(s)….I hope you find these strategies helpful should you be gearing up for your own running adventures!

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Mediocre Miles- From Zero to the Vermont Triple Crown: A Beginner’s Running Journey